Everton: 5 things Frank Lampard must do to save Everton from relegation

Which formation will Frank Lampard use at Everton with the players available?

2. Which formation will Frank Lampard use?

As we’ve discussed there is nothing to suggest Frank Lampard will use a wing back system so that rules out a five man defence. It is likely a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 will be used at Everton, however which players would suit these formations that Lampard has at his disposal?

With the January signings of Nathan Patterson, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Anwar El Ghazi, Donny Van De Beek and Dele Alli it means Lampard has plenty of options to change formation and personnel from when Everton last played against Aston Villa 10 days ago.

No doubt Jordan Pickford will start in goal for Everton under Lampard but he may be asked to use his kicking ability more than under Rafa Benitez. With more attacking midfielders at their disposal and maybe able to get into pockets of space Pickford may well be asked to start attacks quicker than under the previous regime.

Defensively a back four is almost certain as mentioned, personnel is a little less predictable. Patterson looks an ideal candidate in a Lampard system, as does Mykolenko. Lampard hasn’t used centre backs as full backs much before so Ben Godfrey should expect a centre back role more often now. Seamus Coleman could come into Lampard’s thinking also for his experience and leadership at a crucial time so is likely to share right back duties with Patterson to start with.

At centre back Lampard will certainly use Godfrey, he really liked coaching Fikayo Tomori at Chelsea who was young, quick and brave, similar traits to Godfrey. Yerry Mina would likely be his centre back partner on form and the fact he gives you height for set pieces, only his catalogue of injuries would be a concern. Michael Keane surely needs a break as he has been badly out of form, as has Mason Holgate. Jarrad Branthwaite could well come into the reckoning, as stated with Tomori, Lampard is not afraid of putting a young player into the heat of battle.

The midfield is the really interesting part of Lampard’s formation coupled with the tactics he likes to use. Usually, Lampard has used a number six type of midfielder, an enforcer if you will, and a number eight who will help break up the play and then also get the ball to the attacking players. That then leaves the number ten role to roam in the oppositions half to create space for themselves and others.

With the current situation at Everton they cannot utilise this system, if Fabian Delph, a player Lampard has played with for England, and Abdoulaye Doucoure were fit then it would be possible to use this type of three man midfield. As it is only Allan offers any defensive cover at present therefore it might be more of a 4-1-3-2 that Lampard uses in his first three weeks.

With Allan as the enforcer in front of a back four and not told to really break forward, and also to take the ball as an extra centre back to allow the full backs to spread and go forward.

The three players ahead of Allan will be very interesting. For Brentford the new signings of Van De Beek and Alli are cup tied so it will likely be Anthony Gordon, Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend tasked with these roles. Then when the league games come around Van De Beek and Alli will fit in with Townsend and Gordon the two likely to miss out.

It will be very interesting to see how Lampard plays Gray in this system, although on the left of the three with Mykolenko overlapping is likely. I’d expect a more fluid midfield three when Van De Beek and Alli are available. I’d fully expect Van De Beek to be tasked with more midfield tasks when without the ball while Alli is the one tasked with making runs to support the front two.

Those front two, fitness depending, would of course be Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison. However you could add Gray and Alli into the mix to play off either with Gordon offering an option off the bench to cover in the midfield three.

Once Doucoure is fit then the 4-2-2-2 could work with Allan alongside him, Van De Beek and Alli in front of them with the front two ahead. With this formation the full backs would be tasked with a lot of work. Also the 4-3-3 would come into play with Allan, Doucoure and Van De Beek in the middle three, with Gray or Dele Alli, Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin up top.

Certainly Everton have more options in the forward areas and in Van De Beek and Alli players who offer them more technically gifted attackers in tight areas. Numerous times this season Everton have failed to break down the opposition, evidence of this was against Aston Villa last time out. A

Everton have also conceded the first goal too many times and these players enable them to be on the front foot from the start, and with Lampard’s intense press they will be told to be more brave from the kick off.

Next, we look at which players will really gain from Lampard’s tactics and the formations he uses.